Webinar Recap: Developing Gamification Project Using Game Development Lifecycle
Whether you’re exploring vast open worlds, solving intricate puzzles, or battling it out with friends, one thing’s for sure: the games we love don’t just materialize out of thin air. They go through a fascinating journey, from a spark of an idea to the polished experience on your screen.
This journey is called the Game Development Life Cycle (GDLC), and it’s like a behind-the-scenes roadmap for your favorite games. It’s a mix of creative brainstorming, technical wizardry, and some serious planning, where every step builds on the last.
We recently conducted a webinar on developing gamification projects using GDLC. With this recap, we will look back at the important discussion points from the webinar. If you’re interested in how video games you love come to life, then you’re in for a treat because this article is for you!
So, buckle up, grab your metaphorical controller, and get ready to dive into the world of GDLC! We’ll explore everything from the initial brainstorming sessions, where game ideas are born, to the rigorous testing phases that make sure your gameplay is smooth and enjoyable.
About the speaker
Sandi is a gamification guru who can make any project fun and engaging. He has been in the game industry and gamification for over 7 years, starting as a Quality Assurance Lead and now leading the Gamification Production team. So, if you want to know the secrets to fun in gamification, you can count on Sandi!
Game Development Lifecycle in Agate
- Creation
- Pre-production
- Production
- Product Launch
- Live Ops
- Sunset
Creation Phase: The Foundation of Game Development
This initial stage of the game development lifecycle serves as the foundation where the groundwork is laid for the entire project. Its core objective is to explore and brainstorm a variety of potential concepts, premises, systems, and themes. Through this exploration, the team aims to identify and refine the one with the most promise and feasibility for further development.
Key Activities
- Ideation
During this crucial phase, the team conducts thorough research to understand the current market landscape, identifying existing problems and opportunities. This research might involve analyzing competitor games, studying industry trends, and exploring player preferences. - Pitching
Once a diverse range of ideas has been generated, the team carefully evaluates and selects the most promising ones. These chosen concepts are then presented and championed to directors and senior leadership, securing their buy-in and approval to move forward. - Feasibility Study
To ensure the chosen concept has a solid foundation for success, a comprehensive feasibility study is conducted. This study analyzes the potential market size and demand for the game, while also creating initial budget estimates. It aims to assess the financial viability of the project before significant resources are invested.
Gamification Context
Within the Gamification division, this stage is typically carried out during the presales phase. This means the team explores various game concepts and conducts feasibility studies before officially engaging with potential clients. This allows them to tailor proposals and present well-defined and researched concepts that meet the clients’ specific needs and objectives.
Pre-Production: Refining the Game Design
The pre-production phase follows the concept phase and serves as a bridge between the initial idea and actual development. This stage focuses on solidifying the game design before investing significant resources in full-scale production. Its primary goal is to minimize the need for major changes in the later stages by validating and refining the design through various activities.
Key Activities
- Prototyping
This involves creating playable, but potentially limited, versions of the game. These prototypes allow designers, artists, and programmers to experiment with different mechanics, features, and visuals. They also serve as valuable tools for user research and testing. - User Research and Testing
By conducting playtests and user interviews, the team can gather feedback from potential players. This feedback is crucial for identifying any issues with the game design and ensuring it is engaging and enjoyable for the target audience. - Design Validation
Based on the insights gained from prototyping and user testing, the team refines and validates the game design. This may involve adjusting mechanics, balancing gameplay, and redefining the overall vision for the project.
Gamification Context
For the Gamification division, this stage is used to collaborate closely with the client to finalize key details before full development begins. This includes:
- Detailed Requirements
Working with the client, the team establishes the specific requirements for the gamified element, ensuring it aligns with their objectives and target audience.
- Game Art Style
The team collaborates with the client to define the desired visual style for the gamified experience, considering factors like branding and target audience preferences. - Product Vision and Requirements Document (PRD)
The team collaborates with the client to create a comprehensive PRD that outlines the finalized vision and detailed technical and functional requirements for the gamified experience. This document serves as a blueprint for the development phase.
Production: Bringing the Game to Life
The production stage is the heart of the game development lifecycle, where the vision and design from pre-production materialize into a playable game. This is the longest and most resource-intensive stage, demanding close collaboration and coordination across various teams and roles.
Key Activities
- Pre-Alpha
This initial development phase focuses on building the core gameplay mechanics and systems. It involves programmers writing code, artists creating assets, and designers refining the game’s core loop. While not yet feature-complete or visually polished, pre-alpha builds allow for early internal testing to identify and address critical issues. - Alpha
During the alpha phase, the game becomes more feature-complete and playable. Additional gameplay elements and systems are integrated, and preliminary balancing adjustments are made. Alpha builds are often used for internal testing by a wider range of players, including testers and potentially external collaborators. - Beta
In the beta phase, the game is nearing completion and is closer to its final form. The focus shifts towards polishing and refining the overall experience, including gameplay balance, bug fixing, and user interface (UI) optimization. Beta builds are often made available to a select group of external testers, providing valuable feedback before the official release.
Product Launch: Unveiling the Game
The product launch stage marks the culmination of the development process and signifies the official release of the game to the wider market. This stage falls within the introduction phase of the game’s product lifecycle. In this stage, the developer team take extra effort to ensures the game is polished, no bugs at all, and all around user-friendly.
Key Activities
- Soft Launch
This optional strategy involves releasing the game to a limited audience in specific regions or platforms. This allows the team to gather final feedback, identify and address any lingering issues, and fine-tune the game before a broader release. - Grand Launch
The grand launch represents the global release of the game, making it available to the entire target audience. This stage often coincides with extensive marketing and promotional efforts to generate excitement and attract players.
Quality Assurance
Throughout the production and launch phases, the development team employs rigorous quality assurance (QA) procedures to ensure the game is ready to launch, meaning; polished, bug-free, and delivers a smooth user experience. These procedures involve extensive testing by internal and external testers to identify and resolve any issues before the game reaches players’ hands.
Live Ops: Engaging Players in the Long Run
The Live Ops phase follows the product launch and marks a shift in focus from development to ongoing player engagement. This stage aligns with the growth and maturity phases of the game’s product lifecycle. The primary objective is to retain players and maintain a healthy community by offering compelling content and experiences.
Key Activities
- Regular Updates
The team delivers consistent updates that introduce new content, features, and events. This can include new levels, characters, storylines, challenges, or temporary in-game events. These updates aim to keep players engaged and coming back for more. - Data-Driven Decisions
The team leverages user feedback and analytics data to understand player preferences and inform their decision-making. This data can guide the development of new content, features, and events, ensuring they resonate with the player base. - Community Management
Fostering a positive and thriving community is essential for long-term player engagement. This involves actively communicating with players, addressing their concerns, and creating a sense of belonging.
Gamification Context
For the Gamification division, Live Ops primarily focuses on updating, adding features and enhancing the gamified experience. This can involve:
- Content Updates
Regularly adding new challenges, rewards, and gameplay elements to maintain player interest. - Feature Updates
Introducing new functionalities or improving existing features based on user feedback and data analysis. - Bug Fixes
Addressing any technical issues or glitches that may hinder the player experience.
While marketing efforts often fall outside the direct scope of Live Ops within the Gamification division, collaboration with clients is crucial. The division can advise and provide recommendations for ongoing marketing strategies that complement Live Ops activities and maximize player engagement.
Virtual Events
Although the metaverse trend has somewhat subsided recently, many metaverse platforms still exist and continue to thrive, especially when they succeed in creating a comprehensive ecosystem.
The gamification of corporate events remains a hot trend, especially when incorporating live music, customized playlists, and interactive real-time games.
Usage:
- Education
- Networking and Socializing
- Incentivizing Participation
- Exhibitor Engagement
- Post-Event Engagement
Sunset: Ending the Game's Journey
The sunset phase marks the conclusion of a game’s lifecycle. In this stage, the decision is made to officially shut down the game and cease all operations related to it. This decision is often based on various factors, including:
- Revenue and User Numbers
If a game fails to generate sufficient revenue or maintain a healthy player base, it may become unsustainable to continue operating. - Technical Challenges
Maintaining older games can become difficult due to outdated technology or compatibility issues with newer platforms. - Shifting Player Preferences
Player preferences and gaming trends can evolve over time, rendering a game less relevant or engaging for the current audience.
Key Activities
- Announcing the Shutdown
The development team or publisher typically informs players well in advance about the game’s upcoming shutdown. This allows players to prepare and potentially complete their in-game goals before the service terminates. - Data Preservation (Optional)
In some cases, developers may choose to archive specific game data or provide players with options to preserve their achievements or progress. This decision depends on various factors, including legal and technical considerations. - Community Farewell
Acknowledging and appreciating the game’s community is crucial during the sunset phase. This might involve expressing gratitude to players and offering them closure through farewell messages or events.
Gamification Context
Within the Gamification division, sunsetting gamification is uncommon and has a different reason of sunsetting compared to normal games. Sunset in gamification occur when the gamified experience has successfully achieved its goals and purpose. For example, if a game assessment is created to find and hire a manager, the game will be sunset once the manager has been found and hired. The only exception is if there is another hiring manager needed in the future.
Want to learn how you can implement GDLC in your future gamification projects? Contact us today! We will lay out all the steps to implement GDLC, as well as help you start creating your gamification project.
If you are interested in learning more about gamification and how it can benefit you or your organization
Check out our gamification services page and contact us today. We are ready to help you create a gamification experience that aligns with your needs and preferences.
Article Authors
Junialdi Dwijaputra
Dias Setyanto
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